Sakura's Childhood Demise
by Sakurajen
Summary: it's about Sakura and her mother. it's my first fanfic pls be kind as to R&R this. finally completed after a year... hehehe
1. Default Chapter

Sakura's Childhood Demise  
  
[I would very much like to add that the characters found in this story are taken from an existing anime or manga whichever you would prefer]  
  
Sakura's turning three tomorrow and Fujitaka's preparing the cake. "Hope Sakura would love this." Fujitaka murmured decorating the cake expertly. "Of course she would. She loves sweet things." Nadesico said beside him. She placed a hand on the countertop to support herself. She hadn't been getting weaker by the day yet she wouldn't want to lie down and rest with preparations for Sakura's birthday nearly finished. Fujitaka looked at her, their eyes met and held. They knew that this might be the last time Sakura would celebrate her birthday with her mother. Nadesico placed her free hand on Fujitaka's shoulder and smiled cheerily. "We better hurry before she wakes up from her nap and wander around. We wouldn't want to spoil the surprise now would we?" "You're right, dear." Fujitaka smiled back and before he could return to decorating, Nadesico started to collapse. He hurriedly scooped up his wife and carried her to the sofa. "Are you alright, dear?" he asked worriedly. "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy. Don't mind me. You better go finish the cake." Nadesico bade her husband go. "Are you sure you're alright?" Fujitaka asked hesitantly turning to leave. "Yes. Don't worry." Nadesico insisted mustering a cheery smile for his sake. After he left the room, her face screwed up in pain and she succumbed to the pain that plagued her more often these days. She knew her time's getting nearer but she would continue to hold on for her family especially her daughter Sakura. She feared what would happen to the toddler should she. no, she would not think about it. The pain was intense yet it didn't last long. She was panting from the effort it took to deal with the pain when in walk her son, Touya. "Okasama, are you alright?" Touya rushed to her side. "Yes, I'm fine now. Is your sister awake yet?" Nadesico asked. Touya got up to check and returned a minute later. "She's quite asleep and must be having a wonderful dream." Touya answered concern and fear bright in his young eyes. "How was your day?" Nadesico asked conversationally. She would give up a lot to erase the strain that had befallen her family at the discovery of her illness. "It was okay. How about yours? Did the agency come calling?" Touya returned. "Yes but they left after a while. Why don't you go help your father in the kitchen? He's preparing for Sakura's birthday." She coaxed him towards the kitchen. With a reluctant look, he left and helped his father leaving Nadesico dozing on the sofa. 


	2. the continuation

Sakura's Childhood Demise [2]  
  
[I would very much like to add that the characters found in this story are taken from an existing anime or manga whichever you would prefer]  
  
Sakura woke up from her nap around 4 in the afternoon. She sat up and gingerly rubbed her eyes off sleep. She toddled down from the bed and smiling, left the room to look for her mother. She loved her mother dearly and adored her immensely. Her mother was very sweet and very beautiful. Sakura saw her mother napping on the sofa when she found her. She tiptoed closer and looked at her mother adoringly. Nadesico opened her eyes and saw Sakura looking at her. "Hi dear. How's your nap?" she smiled as she reached for her daughter. "It was okay. You should have joined me in bed if you were tired, okasama." Sakura said settling on her mother's lap. "I didn't want to disturb you. You were sleeping soundly." Nadesico laughed nestling Sakura close to her heart. "I wouldn't have minded. I want to sleep with you." Sakura said throwing her short arms around her mother's neck and burying her face there. Nadesico gathered her closer, tears stinging her eyes. She knew she wouldn't be around much longer to care for her little Sakura. Sakura pulled away and looked at her mother. Her small hand pressed against her cheek. "Why are you crying?" "I'm just happy my Sakura's turning three tomorrow." "Is my birthday tomorrow?" "Yes sweet-thing have no idea how her mother would call her. Tomorrow. Now go play with your brother. Mom needs to rest a bit." Nadesico said shooing her away towards the room she shared with her brother to wait for her brother. "Touya, go play with Sakura. She's in her room. I'll help your father." "Are you sure you're alright now, mother?" Touya asked worriedly. "Yes. Heki desu. I just needed a little rest. Now go play with your sister." Nadesico insisted getting up gamely and urging her son gamely by the shoulder to head for the door. After seeing her son was outside the door to their room, she waved and headed inside the kitchen. Touya looked at his mother's pictures lining the wall and noted the differences. She had looked a lot paler lately and seemed to need a lot more rest. His mother was only twenty-six yet she looked a lot older in a matter of days. He was getting scared yet he knew it was inevitable. His parents tried to hide the truth from them as not to alarm them yet he saw clearly that his mother was very sick. How sick exactly, he didn't know. Shaking his small head from his gloomy thoughts, he went inside and found Sakura bundled up and ready. Being an elementary kid himself, he was thrilled the responsibility awarded to him. He was allowed to bring his sister to the playground alone and to care for her. He had the sinking feeling this was going to be his role for a long time. 


	3. after the long sabbatical chapter:

Touya brought Sakura to the park near their home and absentmindedly helped her up the slide. His mind was on his poor mother, suffering under tremendous pain and stress yet manage to get up and pretend that everything is alright.  
  
Sakura's scream of delight as she slid to the ground broke through his thoughts and he watched intently, laced with pity, as she toddled off to join some other kids on the sand box. She was just a baby, he thought achingly; unaware of all that's taking place, so innocent that his young heart went to his sister in sympathy.  
  
"Onii-chan, aren't you going to play?"  
  
With a start, he realized that he had been standing besides the slide staring off in space for quite some time already. Bending down to Sakura's level, he hugged her to him tight for a minute and let her go. "Sure. What do you want to play?"  
  
Sakura, tugging her brother's hand in excitement, led the way to the swings where they spent the rest of the afternoon playing.  
  
* * * * *  
  
They arrived at home in time for dinner and Sakura, being exhausted from playing, was fussing more than usual and Touya could see the strain it caused reflected in her mother's pale and drawn face that he offered to feed Sakura in her place.  
  
Nadeshiko bend and hugged her son and said to him, "Thank you Touya, you're a good boy. I love these times with your sister so please don't worry about me tiring myself." She smiled at him lovingly and ushered him to his room for she could see that he was tired as well.  
  
Shortly around eight in the evening, Nadeshiko carried a sleeping Sakura to the room she shared with Fujitaka and laid her innocent child beside her on the futon.  
  
She watched Sakura slept naively, tears falling silently down her eyes wetting the coverlet she had used to cover Sakura. She stared until exhaustion stole through her body and she finally fell into a deep, painful sleep besides her little angel. 


	4. 4th installment: Sakura's Bday

To FieryPhoenixTears: thanks for reading and leaving a review... : ) I appreciate it and don't worry, I'll finish this story... please read Spicy Love as well if you have time and leave a review too : )  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sakura's birthday started with a bang. Her cake looks so yummy with colorful icings spelling her name and holding strawberries in place to form a circle. Though most of the cake ended up on her face, hair and clothes, none of them could care less as long as their baby is happy.  
  
Nadeshiko dressed especially for the occasion in a pale pink sweater, that set off her emerald green eyes beautifully, and a long white skirt in an effort to dispel the gloomy air that had settled down in the house since she got sick.  
  
Touya kept a sharp eye on his mother all through the celebration. He noted the pain that would shadow his mother's eyes more frequently than he would liked. Yet, when someone else had seen his mother then, they would see a healthy and beautiful woman who cares nothing more than to play with her daughter.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
When it was time for Sakura's nap, Touya volunteered to take Sakura to their room. Since Touya's already 10 years old, or to be exact, 2 years old since he was born on February 29 that only comes every 4 years, he's trusted with taking care of his sister like carrying her through short distances.  
  
However, this offer Nadeshiko declined. With Fujitaka following close behind, she held a sleepy Sakura in her arms and carried her slowly all the way to Touya and Sakura's room and laid her gently on the bunk bed.  
  
Sakura let out a yaws and promptly fell asleep burrowing to the softness of the mattress, unaware of the horror that her family was about to face.  
  
Author's note: sorry if it's a little short. wanted to make the next chaps more dramatic. 


	5. dialogue between the couple

A/N: Gomen ne if took me some time to update this fic, I'm still thinking how I'll lead this story to Nadeshiko's end.. I wanted her to remain beautiful even in death. : ) hope you enjoy this.  
  
To Noble Skuld the Legend killer: that was one of the reasons I wrote this fic. kind of makes me think how she disappeared from their life : )  
  
* * * * *  
  
The weeks passed uneventfully, and Nadeshiko's illness worsened since Sakura's birthday. She hardly able to stand up in the morning and her agent's worried so much that he cancelled Nadeshiko's booking until further notice.  
  
Fujitaka worked harder than ever to afford the medicine that will ease his wife's pain and give her the little luxuries she was used to. Touya scarcely goes out of the house to play with other kids his age and usually stays home playing his sister or looking after his mother.  
  
The several weeks that followed had placed a huge strain on everyone except innocent Sakura, too young to understand the sad and fear present in her family's eyes.  
  
One night before the end of Spring, Nadeshiko, weak as she had become, reached for her husband. "Fujitaka-san, I'm afraid there's nothing we could do to stop this. Please, save the money for the kids and promise me you wouldn't cry. The kids need you to be strong for them especially Sakura. She's too young and I wish that I don't have to leave this world yet." She said sadly.  
  
"Please don't say things like that. " Fujitaka pleaded.  
  
"They had to be said. Kami-sama had planned this to happen and there is nothing you or anyone could do. The best we could do is to prepare before the time comes." Nadeshiko declared, her voice filled with strength that her body had long since done without. "Please, promise me."  
  
Fujitaka took a painful breath and promised, his voice thick with unshed tears, "I promise you I wouldn't cry and I'll continually cherish our memories together and I'll raise the kids as you would have raise them."  
  
Nadeshiko smiled knowing how commited her husband is to his promises. She reached out a placed a gentle hand at his cheeks and felt the warmth of his skin.  
  
Fujitaka blinked back the tears threatening to fall and turned his face towards her hand. He kissed her cold, clammy hands wishing that he could give them the warmth they used to have.  
  
He bent down and gave his wife a deep kiss encompassing everything he's feeling. The grief and sorrow, the love and worry, the hope and wishes in that one kiss.  
  
* * * * * A/N: Gomen ne if it's short. I'm having trouble as it is. : ( give me suggestions anyone? Please? 


	6. second to the last, or not

A/N: I still haven't thought of how I'm going to end this, but from the looks of things, there's no way I could expand this cause I'd chosen to write it around the time she's dying already. oh well.. :)  
  
To Illusions-chan, arigatou for the review it means a lot to me :)  
  
To ????, ano.. what does fuku stands for? I'm not that familiar with the Japanese language though I'm teaching myself occasionally. I'm guessing uniforms so I don't think it means that. hehehe  
  
* * * * *  
  
The weeks passed and Sakura started to sense the unusual atmosphere inside her home. Her mom hardly leaves her room lately and doesn't play with her anymore. Her father always tried to look cheerful though there are times that she would find him looking extremely worried. Her brother would always tell her to shush when she's playing.  
  
It's one of these unusual days when she was found asleep beside her dead mother.  
  
The summer was about to start and Sakura's feeling more energetic than usual. She would toddle off around the house, dragging her dolls with her, she would make them sit and watch the TV with her. Sometimes, she would sneak inside her mother's room and watched as her mother sleeps.  
  
Fujitaka would come home to prepare lunch and feed his toddler daughter and wife before going back to the college where he's currently working.  
  
Sakura would eat the food, her worried young eyes trained on her father. Fujitaka would catch her eye and smiled reassuringly at her. Before he left for work again, he would give her a hug and a kiss then set off again.  
  
Around 3, her brother would arrive back from school. He would play with her for awhile, then go and check on their mother, then retire to their room to study and do his homework.  
  
Around 4, Sakura once again sneaked inside the room and found her mother awake. She saw her mother smiled and reached out her hands for her. Gleefully, she bounded next to her and lied down on the bed facing her mother.  
  
Sakura placed her head on Nadeshiko's chest as she felt her mother's arms wrapped around her tightly. Sakura smelled the familiar scent of her mother and drifted off to sleep, secured in her mother's embrace as she had always felt before.  
  
Touya left their room around 5:30 to start dinner. He looked around for Sakura so he could watch her as he cooked. He looked for her in the kitchen, the dining room and the living room but didn't find her. On a hunch, he checked on her mother and found Sakura sleeping peacefully beside his mother.  
  
He smiled endearingly and leaned over to touch his mother's face. To his horror, his hand felt the coldness and clamminess of her skin.  
  
He quickly got up and opened the light. He found the sight before him terrifying. Nadeshiko's skin was starting to turn blue, her chest lay still, no breath ruffled the hair on Sakura's forehead.  
  
He sunk down on the floor knowing that it was time. His mother had passed away as quietly as she would have liked. 


	7. definitely the ending

A/N: finally talked myself into opening the computer after being so engrossed in doing some cross-stitch, which I had not done in awhile. anyway, here's the last installment and hopefully you enjoyed this story as much as I found it difficult to think up and close. :)  
  
To: archer-razilia: gomen ne, but I can't exactly specify the illness cause I really have no idea what kind of disease would make her die beautiful besides, having pasty skin and a loss of energy. Oh well, read on.:)  
  
* * * * *  
  
The wake was over; her body buried three feet underground. The crowd had started to disperse, leaving behind the last of the mourners and the family of the deceased.  
  
Touya stood besides the newly dug grave, tears glistening in his young eyes. He looked around and watched as his father thanked the last of the mourners, Sakura held firm against his breast.  
  
Touya turned back to look at the grave of his mother and took a deep breath, the earthy smell of the soil filling his lungs heavily. He closed his eyes tightly, willing the tears to subside and clear his vision. He stood motionless for a second longer and felt his father come near.  
  
Fujitaka felt the urge to cry; only his promise to his much-loved wife had prevented him from giving in to the grief now pricking his broken heart like the needles of the cactus that he had as a child. He placed his hand as a comforting gesture on his young son's soldier and squeezed ever so slightly and took a long look at the patch of newly turned earth where his wife now resides.  
  
The silence that enveloped the family was comforting in a way. The only sound that could be heard was the wind blowing through the leaves gently, whistling a comforting tune, as if offering some solace for their anguish.  
  
The world had forgotten them, the space suspended in time.  
  
Sakura wriggled against her father's grip and turned to look around. She saw many stones littering the green grass, stones of all sizes and shapes erected and dotting the place as if a child had made fun of toy blocks and placed them here and there for his own amusement. She craned her neck but still saw no one besides her brother and her father. Her mother was nowhere to be found. Upon this discovery, her lower lip began to tremble slightly, her babyish face started to crumple and she began to cry for her mother.  
  
Fujitaka was startled as well as Touya by the cry of the infant which had kept silent all through the service. Father and son tried their best to console Sakura, but alas the truth cannot be kept even from such young a child.  
  
Sakura sobbed pitifully for the mother she will never see. Her young mind took in the meaning of the brown earth they had stood over for the past hour. She felt heaviness build up at the back of her eyes until, she finally fell asleep, her head cradled against her father's neck.  
  
Fujitaka adjusted his old on his daughter and placed his hand again lightly on Touya's shoulder letting him know that it was time to leave. He turned and walked a few steps ahead knowing that his son would follow suit.  
  
Touya bent his head and said a silent prayer. He lifted his eyes and saw her mother looking down at him, an encouraging smile on her beloved face. He knew now that his prayer had been heard.  
  
Touya turned and saw his father waiting by the car, Sakura strapped on the car seat at the back. He turned back to his mother's grave and with one last lingering look headed to the car, with the spirit of his mom alongside.  
  
A few years later, the Kinomotos moved to Tomoeda to start a new life.  
  
* * * * *  
  
A/N: minna-san, please let me know what you think. :) 


End file.
